Let there be sex - but not right away

A while back I promised a post on S E X in romance writing.Sex is all about making the reader wait and anticipate. Sex doesn't usually happen in the first chapter (unless you're writing erotica). That's a one-night stand.

The first sexual encounter in a romance novel starts with a kiss. But it's gotta be a fireworks-and-all precursor to the eventual nuclear-charged consumation. After the initial fiery locking of lips the sexual tension between hero and heroine heats up like a wok in a Thai restaurant and stretches to breaking point.

I'm about two thirds of the way through a Janet Evanovich novel (pure pulp plot-driven thriller) and the unlikely hero and heroine haven't done it yet, even though he's been trying with his hardest hard-on to get into her teeny-weeny pink undies since they first met.

The reader (moi) expects that sooner of later they'll get their gear off and go the whole hog. They better - that's the only reason I'm still reading!

So, as an unpublished yet-to-be-critiqued romance writer (aka wanker) my advice is to make 'em wait and salivate.

Sex - to be continued (I want to see if the Clustr map explodes/climaxes if I use the word SEX a lot in a post. God knows, my ego needs stroking or should that be poking?)